A wide variety of battery-powered devices are available, for example mobile phones, global positioning satellite (GPS) navigation systems, tablets, laptops, and wireless headsets. The portability offered by battery-powered devices is advantageous in many ways. However, a drawback of battery-powered devices is the frequent need to recharge the battery so that the devices can continue to be used.
Multi-unit chargers have been developed to simultaneously charge multiple battery packs, reducing the total time to charge a plurality of battery packs. Conventional multi-unit chargers include electro-mechanical connections between the charger and each battery pack to be charged and a charge indicator for each battery pack. When a user wishes to replace a depleted battery on his or her mobile device, the user may visually scan the indicators to select the replacement battery pack having the highest charge. While multi-battery pack chargers increase the number of batteries that can be charged, users are still required to purchase a multi-unit charger for each type of battery pack because the electro-mechanical connections of each charger are particularly configured for only certain types of battery packs.
Accordingly, there is a need for improved systems and methods for identifying a wirelessly charging battery.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.
The apparatus and method components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.